Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission

Smoke 'Em If You Got 'Em. Wait. Bad Idea.

Ever Feel Like You're Being Watched

Drunk with Power?

Can't Spell "Bust" Without "Bus"

Hash Over

Dragonfly wash-out; Out of the Melrose

Jeez, not this again

Rubber Gloves still dry

Chicken-Fried Infamy

It's a batter battle as Texas faces Oklahoma

Youthful Indiscretions

How do bartenders spot underage drinkers?

Beer Is Good

Texas law stifles state's craft brewers

See you in Court

The TABC picks the wrong guy to ticket

Naked no more:

Is Nikita breaking the law with its "cheesy Cinemax" porn?

Repressed

Arlington says Hooters threatens its moral fabric. Wait, what year is this again?

Label-ese

Can't find your favorite alcohol? Blame bureaucracy.

Scene, Heard

Trees closes its doors...for a while

Hot and bothered

The city's ordinance governing topless clubs is a joke. But Bachman Lake-area residents are determined to get rid of the clubs by any means necessary.

Hash Over

Buck naked saint

Etc. Etc. Releases A Press Release Detailing Why Its Saturday Night Party Was Disrupted By Police, TABC Officers

Although it has already been posted elsewhere, after the jump, you'll see a press release from the folks at Etc. Etc., detailing their stance and thoughts on why their Saturday night party at the 1800 Lear St. warehouse was busted up by the Dallas Police Department and the Texas Alcoholic Beverage C ... More >>

Took Long Enough, But TABC Finally Releases Statement Concerning FW Gay Bar Raid

At last, the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission has issued an official statement concerning Saturday night's raid on the Rainbow Lounge in Fort Worth, which left Chad Gibson hospitalized and a community outraged. Carolyn Beck, the spokesperson for the agency, just sent Unfair Park the document, in ... More >>

As TABC and FWPD Investigate Rainbow Lounge Raid, The New York Times Pays a Visit

On Friday, Fort Worth Mayor Mike Moncrief asked the acting U.S. Attorney to review the Rainbow Lounge raid and investigations.One week later, word of the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission and Fort Worth Police Department's raid on the Rainbow Lounge has reached Page A16 of this morning New York Ti ... More >>

At Last, the TABC's Alan Steen Apologizes For "Violations" During the Rainbow Lounge Raid

Alan SteenMore than two weeks after Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission Administrator Alan Steen acknowledged an internal investigation following the raid on the Rainbow Lounge in Fort Worth -- which left Chad Gibson hospitalized with serious head injuries -- Steen finally gave an interview concerni ... More >>

Two Ex-TABC Agents Warn: Don't Expect Much From That Apology or Internal Investigation

A Friend of Unfair Park forwards along this Austin American-Statesman story from yesterday, in which two former Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission agents -- one of them a former Dallas captain -- warn that TABC Administrator Alan Steen ain't much good when it comes to following through with apologi ... More >>

What Went Wrong During Rainbow Lounge Raid? Says TABC's Report, Everything.

State Rep. Lon Burnam​Every local media outlet's been waiting for it, but KTVT-Channel 11 managed to get its hands on the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission's internal investigation concerning the raid on the Rainbow Lounge, and it isn't pretty. Right, Fort Worth State Rep. Lon Burnam? "I think t ... More >>

"Three TABC Employees Violated Various Agency Policies." Read the Report Yourself.

​Let's start this item over -- clean and shorten this sucker up. The Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission finally sent over the 32-page report detailing the events of the raid on the Rainbow Lounge raid in Fort Worth; it's below, as you can see. But Tameka Harris, the agency's legal secretary, also ... More >>

The police raid on the Rainbow Lounge has rocked the world of Fort Worth gays

​Let's start this item over -- clean and shorten this sucker up. The Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission finally sent over the 32-page report detailing the events of the raid on the Rainbow Lounge raid in Fort Worth; it's below, as you can see. But Tameka Harris, the agency's legal secretary, also ... More >>

TABC Agent Named in Rainbow Lounge Report Has Boss Investigated For Public Comments

​The Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission just sent along a press release in which it acknowledges that the agency's general counsel and Office of Professional Responsibility (otherwise known as Internal Affairs) are investigating Administrator Alan Steen. For what? For comments he made to the m ... More >>

TABC Fires Agents, Supervisor Involved in the Rainbow Lounge Raid; Disciplines Two Others

​Another day, another Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission news release -- this one, concerning the firing of the three agents involved in the Rainbow Lounge raid in Fort Worth and named in the TABC's 32-page report released earlier this month. One other lieutenant is receiving a three-day suspensi ... More >>

Lounge On Elm Street To Remain A BYOB Venue For Next Few Shows.

​Remember last month when The Lounge On Elm Street co-owner Glenn Jackson said his bar would be getting back its liquor license in a week or so? That's still the case, as the payment and paperwork for the club's late renewal are seemingly ensnared in the bureaucracy of the Texas Alcoholic Beverage ... More >>

TABC To Get Some Diversity Training

​We're still waiting on the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission's investigation report that's supposed to "address the issue of the agents' use of force at the Rainbow Lounge"; it was due a few weeks ago, but it's now overdue. Till then, in the aftermath of the June 28 raid on the gay bar in Fort ... More >>

TABC Clears Its Still-Fired Agents of Using Excessive Force During Rainbow Lounge Raid

​Some time this morning, we should have the full copy of the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission's so-called "use of force" report concerning the raid on the Rainbow Lounge in late June. Till then, TABC spokesperson Carolyn Beck offers this morning a lengthy summary, in which TABC Agent Chris Alle ... More >>

The Entire TABC Use of Force Report

As promised earlier, here's the full 75-page report from the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission concerning use of force during the Rainbow Lounge raid in Fort Worth in June. Per the agency's Open Records Coordinator, driver's license information and vehicle license plate numbers have been redacted ... More >>

Buzz Gives '09 a One-Fingered Wave Goodbye

As promised earlier, here's the full 75-page report from the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission concerning use of force during the Rainbow Lounge raid in Fort Worth in June. Per the agency's Open Records Coordinator, driver's license information and vehicle license plate numbers have been redacted ... More >>

Arlington Takes One More Thing From Dallas (and Fort Worth): The TABC!

​Carolyn Beck, the director of Communications and Governmental Relations at the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission, sends word: The Fort Worth outpost of the TABC is shutting down today and reopening on Tuesday in Arlington at 2225 E. Randol Mill Road. Also getting adiosed immediately: the Dallas ... More >>

How Dry I Am? Not Very if Progress Dallas Has Anything to Say About It

​ You sit yourself down in a restaurant, a real find, one that has taken you to parts unknown: aka Oak Cliff. You're exhausted because your GPS was on the fritz and you had to actually ask for directions three times, which violated every man law you hold sacred. You could use a beer or three, so ... More >>

What Accounts For Recent Sharp Decline In Success of Statewide Wet-Dry Elections?

Courtesy the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission​The Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission's Strategic Plan 2011-2015 isn't due to the governor's office till tomorrow. But I noticed that the Austin American-Statesman just posted an excerpt relevant to our November 2 beer-and-wine referendum, in whic ... More >>

TABC: Dry Areas Should Get Wet in December. But Lawyer Against Citywide Sales Vows a Fight.

​Several Friends of Unfair Park have asked: Now that the voters have overwhelmingly approved Proposition 1, allowing for the citywide sale of beer and wine, when, exactly, will retailers begin drenching the dry parts of Dallas? Because, see, Gary Huddleston, the man behind Keep the Dollars in Dall ... More >>

Growler Program Confusion: Whole Foods Wants It, Gordon Biersch Has It and the TABC Is Playing the Waiting Game

​A local specialty market is one bag of feed away from a cash cow. Unfortunately, it doesn't know which end to feed. The wine bar at the Park Lane Whole Foods Market, the Dallas flagship store, has been a boon to the location's bottom line. Beginning at about 3 p.m. on weekdays, the bar, with ... More >>

Attorney Opposed to Beer, Wine Sales Citywide Asks Court to Keep Dallas Dry Till March Trial

​Yesterday in Dallas County District Court, attorney Andy Siegel -- who, from the very beginning, has contested the citywide off-premise sale of beer and wine -- filed an amended version of his November complaint. It reads much the same (he says city called election without enough valid signatures ... More >>

Hey, Whole Foods! We're Growling for Growlers Over Here.

This is a growler. Notice that it's empty. That's a hint.​Dear Park Lane Whole Foods Market: It's the Christmas season, a time when all good boys are brimful of dreams for presents. Seeing as I have been good this year -- as far as you know, anyway -- I'm hoping you will grant me one heartfe ... More >>

Yer Officially All Wet, Dallas! TABC Has Issued the First Wave of New Beer, Wine Permits.

​This just in from the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission: As promised, the agency has begun issuing permits to retailers looking to sell beer and wine in previously dry parts of town. So far, it ain't a lot, as just three stores have been given their off-premise permits in the last couple of day ... More >>

The Slow Drip of TABC's Beer and Wine Permits

Go Oak Cliff​Last week the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission sent over that press release listing the two new retailers given permits to sell beer and wine in previously dry parts of Dallas. This morning, after seeing this Channel 5 story about how the newly wet are missing out on year-end champ ... More >>

Dallas Is Now a Whole Lot Wetter

​For the hell of it, I ran a Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission report this morning to see how the off-premise beer-and-wine permitting process was going -- seeing as how on New Year's Eve, only a handful of applicants could sell spirits in formerly dry parts of town. And as you'll see from the r ... More >>

If Rick's Doesn't Get That TABC License, You Know What That Could Mean: Bottoms UpOff!

​Clearly, Rick's Cabaret needs to put the Dallas and Fort Worth mayors on its press-release list. Because in case you missed it -- and how could you, it even made Huffington Post -- Fort Worth Mayor Mike Moncrief and the Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport board are suddenly very opposed to th ... More >>

Effort to Cut Off Tap of TABC Permits For Beer, Wine Sales Citywide Put Off Till Next Week

​The Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission is slowly but surely doling out those permits to retailers who want to sell beer and wine in the previously dry parts of Dallas (though none have been issued in the last few days). The lawsuit filed by the parties opposed to the citywide off-premise sale of ... More >>

Before Court, Who's Got Some Beer and Wine?

​Off to the George Allen in a few for that 9:30 court date I told you about last week, during which attorneys representing the city, Keep the Dollars in Dallas and those contesting the election allowing for the wetting up of Dallas will hash over some legal matters, baby. Top of the anti side's to ... More >>

Now That September Trial Date Has Been Set in Wet-Dry Case, What About Existing Permits?

​On the other side is a brief filed on Friday by the attorneys trying to overturn the November referendum that allows the citywide sale of beer and wine. In it, attorneys Leland de la Garza and Andy Siegel argue that the vote to "wet up" Dallas was invalid because it included Preston Hollow, which ... More >>

Everything That's Wrong With Texas Alcohol Laws In One Photo

Jesse Hughey"In Texas, malt liquor." Come on, TABC -- that's just embarrassing.​OK, so the headline's a slight exaggeration -- it would take an album of photos to fully capture all the outdated laws and unfair advantages the giant (and foreign-owned, by the way) corporations of the beer world h ... More >>

Dallas PD, TABC Team Up to Arrest Three After Skyline Senior Dies of Alcohol Poisoning

Via Google Maps​Earlier this month, Dallas Police reported finding the body of 18-year-old Jonathan Sierra in a room at the Aloft Hotel downtown, across from Dallas City Hall. DPD suspected that the Skyline senior, who'd been to his senior prom and was all set to graduate, died of alcohol poisonin ... More >>

Eight Months After FW Mayor, AA Fought Topless Bar Near DFW, Judge Rules for Rick's

​Remember, way back in January, when then-Fort Worth Mayor Mike Moncrief and the Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport were in a huff -- a downright tizzy! -- over Rick's Cabaret's plans to take off its top but a hop, skip and lap dance away from American Airlines' HQ on the south side of DFW? C ... More >>

2011: The Year in North Texas Beer

Beer calendar via ShutterstockLet's hope 2012 is an even better beer year.​Has there been a better year for beer drinkers in North Texas, and particularly Dallas, than 2011? Not one that I can think of, for reasons enumerated in the awards below. My year's wrap-up isn't over. Coming soon are m ... More >>